


Boy Meets Girl

by luciebell_writes



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Jim's daughter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-06
Updated: 2016-02-06
Packaged: 2018-05-18 13:42:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,634
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5930506
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/luciebell_writes/pseuds/luciebell_writes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Jerome meets Jim's daughter by chance at the GCPD, he becomes completely infatuated with her; determined to make her his girl.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Based on a Tumblr prompt.

You had just finished shopping in the city and was waiting at the GCPD for your dad, Detective Jim Gordon, to finish work and take you home. He’d told you that he had one last interrogating process scheduled before he could clock off for the day, so you were waiting patiently outside the backrooms for him to finish.

“This seat taken, beautiful?” A voice beside you caught your attention. Looking up, you were greeted by the cheerful face of a red-headed boy about your age. Smiling, you shook your head and invited him to sit down beside you. “I’m Jerome.”

“I’m Y/N.” You told him, still smiling politely.

“I hope you’re not in trouble…” He laughed and so did you, shaking your head yet again.

“I’m waiting for my dad - Detective Gordon.” You paused, debating whether or not to be daring and ask the boy the same question. “What about you?”

“My mom died.” Jerome told you very matter-of-factly; although he hardly seemed distraught by his loss. “Detective Gordon actually wanted to see me.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.” You said sadly, taken aback slightly by Jerome’s reason for being at the GCPD. “It must be very hard for you.”

Jerome laughed wryly. “I like you. You’re funny.”

What you had said to warrant such a reaction remained a mystery, but you decided to play along anyway. “Thanks…”

“You’re beautiful too.” The boy said suddenly, not taking his eyes off you.

You felt your face flush pink and the compliment rendered you speechless. “Thank you. You’re very kind.”

“What’s it like being a cop’s daughter?” He asked you suddenly, apparently interested in your upbringing. “I bet you know how to use a gun.”

“I guess so, yeah. My dad’s been teaching me self-defence for as long as I can remember.” You told him, before going on to convey the funniest stories from your childhood defence lessons given to you by your father.

“Has anyone ever told you that you could be an actress, Y/N?” Jerome’s comment made you giggle; it was so random yet so charming of him to say.

Jerome shifted closer to you in his seat, evidently taking a shine to you. He was grinning at your stories and treating you like an old friend. You noticed his slightly strange behaviour but didn’t move away; he seemed like a friendly boy and his company wasn’t unpleasant by any means.

However, when Jim came outside to collect Jerome, his face dropped. Unbeknownst to the boy, Jim had called him in to charge him for the murder of his mother, Lila Valeska; hence why seeing said murderer sitting so close to his daughter panicked him as much as it did. It was so difficult to resist the urge to intervene, but he had to remain calm – if only to prevent Jerome from realising that he was about to be arrested.

But when Jerome saw Jim heading over, his cheerful demeanour weakened slightly; playing the part of the grieving son perfectly.

“Hi dad.” You greeted him with a smile.

“Detective Gordon, it’s good to see you again.” Jerome stammered, looking from you to your father; recognising a striking resemblance.

Jim didn’t smile or greet Jerome in the same way; instead, he just told you to wait and urged the boy to join him in one of the interrogation rooms.

Of course Jerome initially didn’t take well to being accused of his mother’s murder – even though everyone present in the room knew of his guilt – but it didn’t take long for him to breakdown in a fit of laughter; ultimately confessing what he had done. Except there was no remorse there whatsoever. That was what truly unnerved Jim and Leslie.

The only time he showed emotion was when, right before he was taken away, Jerome brought you into the picture. “Your daughter is very nice, detective. I like her very much. Y/N, it’s a good name for her, very beautiful.”

“Don’t talk about her.” Was all Jim could manage without throttling the boy himself. It was one thing to watch him talk to you, to sit close to you like that, but another to mention you as he was being arrested. It concerned him greatly to think that such an unstable person had taken such an interest in you. You were too polite for your own good sometimes; Jim would have to have a word with you about affiliating with people at the GCPD when waiting for him again in the future.


	2. Chapter 2

You watched as Jim’s face turned to one of dread as the call ended. Before you could ask your dad who or what had rattled him, he quickly ran past you and towards the door; urging you to wait for him and that he’d be back shortly. Whatever had happened, the caller had posed a serious issue that needed resolving immediately.

So you waited at his desk, swinging your legs over the edge as you grew bored of waiting. That was, until a cloud of smoke flared up, to be followed by the sound of gunshots all across the room. Panicking, you crawled under Jim’s desk and tried to keep quiet as you heard people falling to the ground. It wasn’t like it would’ve mattered if you’d have screamed – nobody could have heard you amidst the chaos anyway. You didn’t have a clue what was going on but you certainly didn’t want to be a part of it. You didn’t want to die hiding under your dad’s desk.

As the sound of gunfire fell silent, you heard hysterical laughter as footsteps approached. In that moment, you felt as if the world had stopped turning and time was dragging by at an agonisingly slow pace. You were getting ready to cry, scream and beg for your life as a young man knelt down and stared wide-eyed at you. He was dressed in a police uniform and, for maybe a second, you believed that he was there to save you. Then you recognised that laugh and it hit you: Jerome. The motherless boy you had met at the GCPD a few months ago.

Jim had told you all about his arrest; how he’d burst into laughter and confessed to killing his mother in such a cruel way. What he didn’t tell you however, was that Jerome had spoken of you as he was being arrested. How he had taken a clear interest in you.

As for Jerome, this was his lucky day!

To see the pretty girl from the precinct again, who just so happened to be Detective Gordon’s daughter, had saved him a journey. He was planning on kidnapping you for leverage anyways so this truly was a ‘killing two birds with one stone’ situation.

“Y/N, it’s so good to see you!” Jerome grinned and held a hand out to you, beckoning you out from under the desk. However, you were obviously reluctant to leave your hiding place, which caused Jerome to frown. “What’s wrong? I hope I haven’t upset you with this…violent display.”

“Why are you doing this?” You asked, feeling your legs shake as you hesitantly crawled out from under the desk.

“Don’t be scared, gorgeous.” Jerome took you by the arm and led you through the precinct, passing dozens of dead cops. You felt sick at the unbearable scene before you and, although you wanted to scream and run, you didn’t doubt that Jerome wouldn’t hesitate to shoot you too if you didn’t comply.

With a surprisingly gentle hand, Jerome placed you on the chair that Sarah Essen had inhabited before Jerome had taken care of her.

“What’re you going to do to me?” You whimpered, glancing at the bloodstained floor.

Jerome bent over you with what was supposed to be a comforting smile. “I don’t plan to hurt you, Y/N. If you try to test me then I will but I don’t want to.” He placed a firm kiss on the side of your head then moved to whisper in your ear. “Did your dad tell you what I did?”

You nodded, your lip trembling. Recalling how shaken you had been after Jim told you that the boy you had befriended had done such a terrible thing to his own mother.  
“Did he tell you what I said?” Jerome’s low voice still lingered by your ear, sending cold shivers through your body. You didn’t know what he was talking about, so you stayed still, sucking in a frightened breath.

“He didn’t, did he…” Jerome straightened up and circled you with a smile. “Of course not. He probably thought it would give you nightmares…”

Although you knew that Jim had kept Jerome’s words from you for a good reason, you couldn’t resist the urge to know exactly what the boy had said – especially since it was apparently so scary that it warranted no mention in front of you. “What did you say?” You whispered, looking up from the bloodstained floor and into Jerome’s eyes that seemed to bulge out at you; despite the unnerving nature of this eye contact, you found it impossible to look away.

Jerome’s voice was deadly serious as he stood directly in front of you. “I told him that you were beautiful. And that I liked you very much.” He laughed out loud, as if he’d just told you the funniest joke. “The look on his face was perfect!”

You didn’t know whether to feel flattered or scream for help. Jerome was not only crazy, but he apparently had an infatuation with you. And now you were his hostage, even if he insisted that you had nothing to be afraid of.

Jerome picked up a video camera that laid beside the body of another member of the Maniax. “Oh, I killed him.” He confirmed, noticing your look of concern. “Greenwood stole my line.” Then he pushed record and held the camera so that he was in the frame. “Hello Detective Gordon! Just thought I’d leave you a little video for when you get back.” He turned to point the camera in your direction. “Say hi to your dad, Y/N!”

Jerome moved closer with the camera in hand, trying to get a clear shot of your terrified face. “When you see this, your daughter will be gone. Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of her!” Jerome broke out in hysterics as you stayed quiet, unable to even look at the camera because you knew that you’d start sobbing – which would only concern Jim further – if that was even possible.

As Jerome continued talking madly into the camera, you couldn’t help but watch him intently; realising that a lot of what he was saying made some sense. Cogs in a machine, it was a surprisingly accurate description of the city’s structure – especially to come from someone so unhinged. The sound of sirens approaching broke his speech however, and he quickly grabbed your wrist. Placing an officer’s cap onto his head, he laughed once more into the camera before fleeing the scene with you in tow.

At that point, you didn’t know whether you’d be used for leverage against Jim or if Jerome had a completely different plan in mind for you; although you were too scared to ask, a part of you was curious as to where Jerome would take this plan of his – and if he truly meant it when he said that he liked you.

Safe to say, it was the strangest ‘boy meets girl’ situation that anyone had ever heard of.


	3. Chapter 3

It all happened so fast. One minute you were holding back your tears as Jerome shoved a camera in front of you in an attempt to rile up your father, then the next…well, you were alone in a dimly-lit room with no idea where abouts in Gotham your kidnapper had taken you. Or if you were ever going to see Jim again.

You were certain that he’d seen Jerome’s video message by that point and you could only imagine how distraught your dad was; he was highly protective over you as it was, but now that you were god-knows where with the psychotic red-head who was evidently fond of you, you knew that Jim would be going out of his mind.

Jerome came into the room with a glass of water for you but you refused, keeping your lips pursed tightly together and your head low. You had decided to follow the advice Jim had given you as a precaution for such a daunting situation – you were to stay quiet and safe until help arrived. But when would help arrive?

“Hey, what’s wrong Y/N?” Jerome asked, kneeling down on the floor where you sat, body stiffening as he shifted close to you.

“Why are you doing this?” You sniffed, hugging your knees up to your chest as Jerome reached out a hand to touch you. “To get back at my dad?”  
“No.” Jerome shook his head, then paused. “Well, maybe a little.”

“My dad did you a favour. You could have been locked up in a maximum security prison where you were nothing more than a punching bag. At least you ended up in Arkham.”  
Jerome burst out laughing; a prolonged, raspy eruption of hilarity escaping his lips. “Arkham wasn’t exactly a holiday either.”

“Well, what did you want him to do? Give you a slap on the wrist and send you on your way?” You met Jerome’s intrigued gaze with a hard stare. “You killed your mother, Jerome. You’re sick.”

You didn’t know where your sudden sharp tongue had come from although you were certain that your father would’ve urged you against challenging your kidnapper.

Upon hearing your accusation, Jerome smirked and tilted his head to the side. “Sick, huh? Do you really think I’m crazy, Y/N?” He grabbed your chin between his thumb and index finger, forcing you to look him in the eye and say it again. “Do you think I’m crazy?”

“…Yes.” You reiterated firmly, turning your head away from his hand.

Jerome frowned and stood up quickly. “I thought you were nice, you know. I thought I could trust you.”

“So did I.” You muttered in response. “When we first met you seemed so sweet. But you’re just vindictive and using me as a pawn in whatever sick game you’re planning.”

“You’re no pawn to me, Y/N. I already told you.” Jerome’s expression was serious. “You’re here because I want you here. Because I like you.”

“Why?” You asked with some suspicion. Why had Jerome been seemingly obsessed with you since the day you met?

Jerome grinned and bent over so that his head was close to yours, his mouth level with your ear. With a low hiss, Jerome insisted that it would all become clear soon enough, before he walked out of the room and locked the door.

As the silent hours passed, you simply laid on the bed of the room you were being held prisoner in; staring at the ceiling as you tried to come up with a way to persuade Jerome to let you go. You just wanted to go home to your own bed in your own room. You wanted to see your dad and feel his protective arms hold you close, vowing to never let you out of his sight again.

While Jerome wasn’t the most threatening of kidnappers, he seemed very…unpredictable. Then there was his apparent infatuation with you. He clearly had a good reason for choosing to spare your life and drag him back to the apartment he was hiding out in. A part of you was still convinced that your kidnapping was just a way for him to take a stab at Jim for seeing through his performance in the first place, but you’d have been lying if you’d have denied any curiosity with the notion that Jerome may have actually taken you because of some genuine feelings. Even if you most definitely did want to leave as soon as possible, you were somewhat intrigued to see how Jerome would unravel under pressure.

You dozed off for a while after that but, when you woke up hours later, you were startled to find that you weren’t alone. Jerome was sat in a chair beside the bed; it was evident that he had been watching you intently for god-knows how long. You sat up quickly, your eyes still locked on Jerome’s highly focused ones. The silence itself was unbearable; you knew that he was thinking something wicked, something shocking, yet he remained silent with only a twisted smirk in place.

“What?” You asked with an edge of annoyance to your tone. Frankly, you didn’t appreciate it when a practical stranger watched you sleep. Especially when that stranger was your kidnapper.

“Do you always groan like that in your sleep?” Jerome smirked as you said nothing in response. “It’s cute.”

“Did your mother ever tell you that it’s rude to watch people while they’re sleeping?”

“No, she just told me to shut up and do the dishes while she went to take care of…business.”

You frowned at that; you knew what Jerome meant and, while you held such distaste for the redhead, you did feel slightly sympathetic of his situation.

“She didn’t give a damn about me, Y/N.” Jerome told you, standing up from the chair and going to sit on the bed beside you. You froze as you felt his hand gently caress your arm, although you didn’t pull away. “I grew up without a mother’s gentle touch. Nobody ever put me first, took an interest until me…until I met you on that fateful day at the GCPD, Y/N.”

Feeling stunned, you searched for a hint of pretence in Jerome’s eyes. You were desperate to hear him laugh at your shocked expression and insist that he was kidding, but no laughter ensued. Instead, Jerome took your chin in his hand again; although this time his eyes met yours with affection, instead of annoyance as they had earlier.

What followed next should have scared you. You should have shot up from the bed and ran for the door but you didn’t. You didn’t want to.

Jerome tilted your chin up and moved his head down so that his lips were inches from yours; you could feel his warm breath against your skin and you trembled with excitement instead of fear. Then he kissed you. Jerome, the redheaded boy with the psychotic tendencies, kissed you so gently on the lips.

And you found yourself kissing him back without hesitation.


	4. Chapter 4

After spending a week as Jerome Valeska’s ‘hostage’, you had started to develop feelings for the eccentric redhead. Although he was definitely someone you should’ve been scared of – what with his unhinged mental state and slight fixation with you – you found yourself welcoming every joke with a laugh of your own. And every time he kissed you? Well, you found yourself powerless to resist. You wanted Jerome as much as he wanted you.

While Jerome was very evasive regarding his whereabouts whenever he was gone for a few hours, you just knew that whatever he’d been getting up to with the rest of his unstable clique was highly illegal. For one thing, the bloodstains on his clothes were always a dead giveaway. But for some reason, the redhead just didn’t unnerve you in the slightest anymore. You were unsure as to whether it was the way he showered you with compliments and affection, told you the most bizarrely hilarious jokes at the most unexpected of times, or just the fact that he’d been straight with you from the get-go, but you were certain of your own feelings for Jerome Valeska. 

Regardless of all the terrible things he may have done, Jerome was the first person to have been honest with you from the start. Even your father had a tendency to lie to you and though you knew that he’d always had your best interests at heart, it did upset you at times to know that Jim just didn’t trust you enough. Whereas Jerome did. So what if he was sometimes unclear on what he’d been up to, at least he always gave you a satisfactory answer. Before meeting Jerome you had felt so invisible in Gotham, but simply seeing how wide he smiled for you was enough to make you feel like you mattered. Jerome may have been many things, yet he was always so good to you. Aside from kidnapping you, Jerome had always ensured that you had what you wanted, that you felt safe and content. In fact, a part of you really wouldn’t have minded if you’d have never left the dark room which Jerome was holding you in.

When the redhead arrived home that evening, you noticed that he was slightly more excitable than usual – which was saying a lot since Jerome’s mood was usually very elevated.  
“I’m gonna be a star after tonight, Y/N…” Jerome told you, joining you on the bed with a smug smile. “Tonight will be my moment. No, our moment.”

“What do you have planned?” You asked, interested as to what had put Jerome in an incredibly good mood.

With a chuckle, Jerome playfully tapped your nose. “You’re so curious, Y/N. It’s cute.”

You tilted your head to the side and smiled back at him, still insistent on knowing what Jerome’s evening plans were. Usually, the two of you would spend the evening talking and laughing together – basking in each other’s company – so what prospect had made him willing to leave you alone for the night?

“Do you like magicians, Y/N? Here, I’ll give you a preview…” Jerome grinned at you, jumping off the bed and throwing his arms up into the air in an expression of his enthusiasm. “Ladies and gentleman, my name is Jerome Valeska and tonight…I’m going to give you a show you won’t soon forget!”

Laughing softly, you gave Jerome a quick applause before a thought occurred to you. “It’s a shame I won’t get to see you in all your glory though…”

Maybe you also wanted to see more than just the grey walls of your room but, in all honesty, you really did want to see Jerome in action. You wanted to see his methods and applaud him at the end of his victorious display, just as any loyal companion would do.

Jerome thought for a moment, furrowing his brow as if he was really contemplating the notion of having you in the audience. For a moment, you feared that you’d offended him with such a bold suggestion; however your mind was soon put to rest when Jerome returned to the bed, where he kissed you deeply before moving away with a delighted grin in place. “Okay.”

“I can come along?” You asked, surprised with Jerome’s willingness to let you attend whatever spectacular event he intended on wreaking havoc on.

“Of course!” Jerome insisted, “I’ll need my gorgeous girl there for support.” He let out a raspy laugh. “You’re gonna have so much fun, Y/N. And you’ll be the most attractive girl in the whole damn place…although you might have to lie low…don’t want your dad finding you, do we?”

“My dad will be there?” You suddenly felt a mix of excitement and concern; although you undeniably wanted to see Jim again after a week away from your home and your father, you also liked your new life with Jerome. You were somewhat worried that he’d find you and take you home – and do god-knows what to punish Jerome – the guy you had helplessly fallen for.

But what touched you more than anything was that Jerome’s willingness to let you go with him emphasised how much he trusted you. For all he knew, you could’ve been planning to betray Jerome in order to return home to your father, safe and sound; however it was now evident that the redheaded boy trusted you as much as you did him. And you didn’t want to be separated from him, even if you did miss Jim very much.

“I’m so excited for tonight, Y/N. People will finally know who I am; they’ll see what I’m capable of…” Jerome said ambitiously as the two of you laid on the bed together, with his hand lazily caressing your hair, while the other held you close. You felt safe in Jerome’s arms, you always had done. You knew that you always would. “And I’ll get to show you my comedic talents too.”

You nestled against Jerome’s warm body, smiling against the crook of his neck. “You’ll be amazing, I know it.”

“Do you mean that, gorgeous?” Jerome looked down at you, almost proud to say that he had won the affection of such a thoroughly beautiful person. You had put up with a lot, and yet you still appeared to care about Jerome very much. It pleased him to know that he had someone like you in his life, even if you’d met under very unconventional circumstances.

“You know I do, Jerome.” You replied with a smirk, leaning upwards to kiss his cheek. “You’re a comedic genius. My joker.”

“And you’re my girl, Y/N. I don’t think I can ever let you go now.”


	5. Chapter 5

As Jerome had instructed, you made your way through the crowds of people to take your seat at a table by the stage. While it felt somewhat strange to be out in the open after your time spent with Jerome in that small room; however you eagerly anticipated what was to come. You had no doubt that people would get hurt during Jerome’s…show, but you knew that it had to be for the greater good – this greater good being Jerome’s happiness and success – and you couldn’t argue with that. Even though you were apprehensive that someone would recognise you as Jim Gordon’s missing daughter, you felt relatively safe in your situation; knowing that Jerome was willing to keep you by his side at any costs. Besides, you hardly recognised yourself in the new dress that Jerome had picked out especially for you. His girl.

When the show eventually began, you couldn’t help but smile at the way Jerome used his charisma to initially charm the audience with an array of clever tricks – before revealing his true colours in his typically frivolous fashion – well, until he pulled out a knife and killed his victim of the night. The deputy mayor no less! You’d have been lying if you’d have said that you weren’t impressed.

While the people around you panicked; attempting to escape in a flurry of panic, you stayed in your seat, beaming proudly at Jerome the whole time as you gave him a small applause for the opening act. He grinned back at you of course, winking mischievously before rallying the screaming crowds back to their seats as more of his associates began firing their weapons into the crowd. You felt somehow at ease to know that Jerome wasn’t alone in his insane escapade; even if it surprised you to know that he was apparently friends with your father’s ex-fiancée. Honestly, you had always been quite fond of Barbara because of her fun nature and her generosity towards you; she’d been more like a big sister than your potential step-mother which was why the two of you were close. So you felt thoroughly astonished to witness her on the stage, acting almost like a whole other person. Still, she was doing a very commendable job as Jerome’s assistant.

However, you admittedly felt torn in your opinion when Jim’s current girlfriend Lee was hauled onto the stage. She was really kind and made your dad happy, but as much as you wished for her good health, you couldn’t interfere with Jerome and Barbara’s plans. This was your boyfriend’s moment to shine and you wanted to witness his successes for yourself – even if you did feel bad that Lee was getting put in harm’s way. And you knew that your father would soon be getting involved now that his girlfriend was being threatened.

Maybe sooner than you’d expected. As you heard the sound of sirens outside, Jerome snatched Lee’s phone to make a call. “Sorry Jimbo…it’s just me.” Well, that answered that question.

Jerome proceeded to taunt your father, laughing into the camera that was broadcasting his and Barbara’s grand show to every single home in Gotham City. You could just picture the look of disdain on Jim’s face – and he didn’t even know of your involvement yet!

With a sly smirk, Jerome continued to relay the details of the situation to Jim in a characteristically amusing way until his excited gaze fell on you. “Oh…I’d also like to ask for your blessing…” Jerome waved to catch your attention; indicating that you join him on-stage, and in front of the camera. With a laugh, Jerome snaked an arm around your waist. “I’m dating your daughter after all.”

You couldn’t hear the exact obscenities that Jim was firing at Jerome, but you knew that he was certainly far from enamoured. “You don’t believe me? Tell your dad, Y/N. Tell him about us.”

Although you knew that your secret would eventually come to light, you hadn’t imagined that it would be in front of a live audience. Jerome evidently loved the attention but it concerned you to reveal your infatuation with the guy who was holding a room full of people hostage to Jim with all of Gotham watching. Not only would people give you the most disgusting of looks in the street, you knew that your father would also suffer the consequences of your romance with Jerome Valeska. You loved Jerome more than you’d ever loved anyone, yet you just didn’t know how to break Jim’s heart in front of the whole city.

“Y/N?” Jerome pulled you closer to him, his low voice lingering in your ear as he began to grow somewhat impatient. “Tell him. Better still, tell all of Gotham..!”  
“Please, let me talk to my dad.” You frowned as you said it; not wanting to show Jerome up in front of his audience but also not wanting to destroy your father’s reputation. Besides, it wasn’t everyone’s business – just yours and Jerome’s – certainly not all of Gotham’s. Begrudgingly, Jerome handed the phone over to you; although he kept his arm tightly around your waist.

“Y/N, are you okay?” You heard Jim ask quickly as you held the phone to your ear.

“I am, but…” You bit your lip; knowing that Jerome wanted nothing more than to announce your love for every single Gothamite to see.

However, Jim evidently wanted to avoid the matter that Jerome had brought up; hoping that if he ignored it, it would just go away. “Just hang in there. I’ll be there soon, I—“  
But you couldn’t hide from the truth. It was what Jerome wanted and, well, you valued his happiness more than your own. “I’m sorry Dad, it’s true.” You confessed, smiling guiltily in the direction of the camera. “I love him. Jerome and me, we’re…together.”

Even though you couldn’t see your dad’s reaction, you could just imagine how furious he was; how much your relationship with Jerome terrified him. You knew he wanted to kill Jerome right in that moment – and throttle you for your arguably poor choice – but thankfully you were unable to see Jim’s disappointment, that would’ve hurt you more than anything.

Before you could hear Jim respond to your wild claim, Jerome snatched the phone back and gave your dad a raspy and uncontrolled laugh; eventually hanging up and continuing with the show.

But what soon followed broke you. What you were forced to witness was a sight you knew that you wouldn’t soon forget.

It was all going so well, just as Jerome had planned, then everything fell to pieces in the blink of an eye. You couldn’t breathe; watching from your seat as Jerome fell to the ground, his laughter choked and almost breathless.

You remembered crying out, screaming Jerome’s name as Jim grabbed you from behind and pulled you away from the stage. Honestly, your mind had suppressed most of what happened following Jerome’s fall from centre stage – most likely to protect you from reliving the unbearable scene – yet you just couldn’t forget the grin on Jerome’s face. Even in his final moments, he had been smiling.

For weeks after the ordeal, after all that you’d been through with Jerome, you hardly spoke. Even Jim with all his parenting skills was unable to lift your spirits – and it hurt. While it had almost killed him to know that you were in love with such an unstable young man, that pain didn’t even compare to seeing you in such a broken state; not eating or speaking, with him unable to decipher what was on your mind. This was by far the worst thing that Jim had ever had to deal with, and he wasn’t certain that you’d ever be able to recover from the grief.

However one day you woke up to the sound of your bedroom door closing. Glancing at the clock, you knew that your dad was at work, yet a crumpled note on the bedside table caught your attention. With tired eyes, you read the scrawled writing…then again…and another time after that. “Did you miss me, gorgeous?” It read. Nothing else, just those 5 words. And for the first time in many weeks, a small smile appeared on your paling face – and an almost exhilarated laugh escaped from your lips.

Perhaps it was just wishful thinking but you knew that, somehow, you’d see Jerome again.


End file.
